Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-01-14
rmE FUTURE OF rag GIsL-GRABC.
ATEs.
Boston Herald. I

The women who are graduates OF
our educational institutions begin to
make their mark in the ranks OF
those who are actively engaged in
the promotion of scientific and gen.
eraI culture. Room is being made
for them where they can show the
quality of their work. There are
three times as many women under
advanced instruction today as there
were twenty years ago, and the num-
Der is steadily increasing. Most OF
our institutions are now open for the
education of wsmen on the same
terms as the education of men, and
the singularity of the presence OF
the ''sweet girl-graduate" is no longer
felt. They are becoming cumula-
tive force in American society. Mrs.
Lynn Linton calls attention to the
fact that careers for women arr not
controlled by the same fixity of pur.
pose as those which open out TO men.
The element of marriage often comes
in TO extinguish the ambition for
eminence In scieace or general cul-
ture. But Mr.. Higginson has re-
Gently shown that the girlgraduates
in this country are opening the way
to the higher education of women as
it has never been opened before.
They are forming an associated body
of women, who will have a powerful
influence over the future of their sex,
and who today hold the future edu.
cation Of American women in their
hands. The first thing is to educate
these women as they desire; the next
is to provide them with something to
do which is in lire with their edu.
cation; the next is to bring their
education TO bear upon the develop.
ment of society. This final and
largest end is largely promoted by
their organization under the name oi
the Association of Collegiate
Alumna." This is today, for the
first time in the history Of the coun-
try, a body of women who have re-
ceived the training which qualities
them to undertake things that iced
to be done for their sex. and who
have the largeness of outlook thai
is sufficient TO see the opportunities
which are opening out TO women in
the multiplied interest of the coun
try. The Society to Encourage
Studies at Home" which has had
much TO do with the creation OF q
larger and more wholesome sphere
| for women, has been q pioneer 10
making women the centers of an edu.
cational influence in different part:
of the country, and their collegiate
education and associated life create q
still more potent influence In the
same direction. The Association
Of Collegiate Alumne" proposes %
organize the energies of these women
so that they shah bring this higher
education into line with the lower
grade schools for girls, both public
and private; il will also do much 70
make sphere not only for the edu
cation itself, but for the giri-grsdu-
ates who are yearly sent out into the
world as educated women. The new
education means the creation foI
women Of fresh and large opp0Ftu.
mites Of usefulness. II means that
they are TO find their place for
greater services 10 society. itmeans,
not that the domestic duties are 20 be
superseded, but that women through
out the country are 10 bring their
culture more and more into daily
life, and help 10 renew society at Its
sources Their notable achievements
10 scholarly directions are well Ia
their way, hut this represents only
oae Of the many lines in which the
education of bright women Is TO
affect American society. The higher
education is not to unsex women or
10 render them incapable Of taking
their places in the life al the family;
its tendency is TO broaden their
sphere and to open TO them avenues
OF usefulness that the whole OF
society shall feel the benefit Of the
training which they are now receiv-
Ing. and are destined 10 receive in
. still larger degree in the futu-e-